


Nightmares

by Lil_Lycanthropy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Keef has a nightmare and Shiro helps him through it, Nightmares, Not really hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-08 18:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14111154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Lycanthropy/pseuds/Lil_Lycanthropy
Summary: Keith has a nightmare, and Shiro helps him calm down. Why? Because apparently I ship Sheith.





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> First Voltron fic that I pumped out in an hour and I'm hella tired. Enjoy! 
> 
> Timeline: Takes place shortly after season 2 episode 2! Or something like that.

_They were on a barren wasteland, Shiro wounded and surrounded by giant purple monsters, Keith alone and tired from running halfway across the tiny moon. It seemed like no matter how far he ran, Shiro would stay just at the edge of his vision, with those aliens about to rip him to shreds. Keith continued running nevertheless, desperate to reach his friend. He seemed to be running in place, making no progress. Blood was dripping from Shiro’s wound, all because of that blasted witch Haggar, making him weaker every second._

_Keith continued to run._

_Shiro ducked into a crevice in the cliff face, squirrelling himself away as Keith finally began to get closer. Unfortunately, the aliens just took their massive claws and started to dig._

_Keith got out his bayard, extending it into a sword. He swung at the nearest alien, where it turned and snapped down on Keith’s leg._

_Pain exploded around him as it shook him like a rag doll, tossing him up into the air. He landed on the ground with a dull thud, blood beginning to pour from his leg. And quiznak, was that a bone sticking out?_

_He quickly crawled towards where Shiro was hiding, trying to ignore the thumping of the ground as the monsters stomped up and began gaining on him. He dove into the hole, rolling forward with his sword tucked near his chest so he wouldn’t impale himself._

_Shiro was propped up against the wall, breathing heavily. A glowing yellow eye peered in from the entrance, but Keith ignored it and made his way over to his injured friend._

_The wound on his ribs was glowing, even as blood seeped out at an alarming rate. There was already a pool of it on the floor._

_Keith cupped a hand on the wound as Shiro hissed in pain._

_“Keith...”_

_“I know what you’re going to say, so can it. You’re gonna be fine. No need for all that sappy shit.”_

_“You need to know though...if I don’t make it, I want you to lead Voltron.”  
_

_“I said shut up, Shiro! You’re gonna be okay. Stop talking like that."_

_Keith frantically tried to stop the bleeding, even as he himself became dizzy with blood loss._

_What could he do?_

_Shiro slid down the wall, eyes closing slowly as pain overwhelmed him. The aliens had begun to dig again, making decent progress._

_“C’mon, Shiro, wake up...”_

_But Shiro just laid still._

_And Keith was going to die alone._

* * *

Keith awoke with a gasp, breaths coming short and quick. He shakily stood up, checking his leg for blood.

Nothing.

It had all been a dream.

He shrugged on his jacket, trying to catch his breath, and stumbled into the hall towards the kitchen. It was still late, as the castle lights were still on low, and he could hear snoring from the other Paladins’ rooms.

Keith made his way towards the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water with trembling hands. He drank it slowly, trying to focus on the soothing coolness it provided on his parched throat, but it was becoming harder to breathe.

Leaning against the wall and sliding down the floor, Keith dropped the glass and put his head in his hands.

_Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry._

Despite his best efforts, tears sprang forward and slipped down his fingers, which were pressed hard into is eye sockets. A headache was forming, but he didn’t want to go back to sleep. He couldn’t.

Not when there was a chance for more nightmares.

He began hyperventilating into the croook of his elbow, trying desperately to breathe and convince himself it was just a dream. There was a vice-like pressure on his chest and a lump in his throat, knocking the wind out of him. How could he be expected to lead Voltron one day if he couldn’t even handle _breathing_ on his own?

“...Keith?...Buddy, can you hear me?” A familiar voice said softly.

A broad hand was resting on his shoulder, a grounding weight that helped him float back into his body.

Keith looked up and met the black eyes of Shiro, who looked at Keith’s watery eyes with his own concerned ones.

“You okay?”

Any other time, Keith would’ve sucked it up, said ‘ _yeah, just a rough night,_ ’ and skulked off to be alone, but _damnit_ he wasn’t okay and he needed somebody.

Somebody like Shiro.

He shook his head _no_ , leaning forward slightly and hoping that Shiro would take the hint. He did, and wrapped one real, warm arm and one cyborg prosthetic around Keith.

It was several minutes before any of them spoke, Keith curled up in Shiro’s arms and Shiro just holding him.

“So, what’s going on?” Shiro asked, breaking the silence.

“Nightmare,” Keith said after a beat, voice gravelly.

Shiro’s grip tightened around him. He knew a thing or two about those.

“Want to talk about it?”

Keith shook his head against Shiro’s chest, and he let the matter drop. Keith would open up when he was ready.

Eventually, Keith’s legs cramped up, and he shifted uncomfortably in Shiro’s arms. He let go and the both stood up, cracking their joints. “Do you want to go back to bed?” Shiro asked, leaving the decision up to Keith.

Keith just shook his head, so Shiro led him to the lounge where they settled on the couch, Shiro sitting upright and Keith draped across his lap.

Shiro entangled his fingers in Keith’s long hair, gently pulling apart the knots that had formed sometime in the night. He continued his treatment on Keith’s hair until the latter’s eyes closed shut and his breathing slowed.

Finally, he could get some sleep.


End file.
